Bus stops

Standing at
bus stops,
waiting for
life's drip-drops,
needs patience,
a thrusting in
of messy,
ye, silly thoughts. ...

.....Took cover from September morning rains at Link Road BEST bus shelter; whiled away at Lord Ganeshas sitting unsold after discounts; on the third day of Ganesh festival there may be no takers for my friends; a tempo drove up, loaded the unsold gods to a where of a nowhere. Alone at the shelter, appreciated a drenched peepul, middle of Link Road; me knows the bus stop since 1992 when there were no autos and auto stands; bus route no 270 from Gorai bus station to Borivili railway station, a rupee ride or maybe less. Of modern times, me likes buses and bus stops; wildlifer M.Krishnan wrote of bullock carts being for ever and ever in India; buses are a must of life like dak ghars (despite mobiles), LIC offices, SBI branches. BEST buses and bus stops colour Mumbai; knew many in Calcutta, the Hazra Road bus stop to Park Circus bus halt; dropping out and walking to St. Xavier's College; on lucky mornings, spotted a few young Anglo-Indian ladies, got to know some of them, Liz being one; do not know where she is; the Esplanade bus stop to Baranagar where the University Department of Economics sat for failing me at MA; MA classes allowed for a mix of gents and ladies and everyone had his and her favourite with some having many; Shailendra, best friend ever, and me named some stops after the ladies who took the regular buses at sure times for MA lectures; Kamini was one name; hallow of Kamini in Bengali cotton saree; hearts tore away at arteries; a day we got down and feasted Kamini at a rosogulla joint and that perhaps was the end when she said she had a man in her life. Mostly poured out of crowded State Transport Corporation buses avoiding fares; savings funded Charminar smokes. At the spacious and dirty Esplanade bus terminus, we bought The Statesman waiting for MA ladies; never read them; Shailendra wrote Hindi poetry and me read them, appreciated them on the promise of a few rums. In the 70s, BEST buses in Bombay were a joy; there were queues at stops, little overcrowding, old men and women were offered seats, no traffic jams except on morchas to Sachivalay. Then entire Bombay walked. Today, there are no morchas; people do not protest; knew well, the Mantralay bus stop with its trees; the bus shelter souped the poor with the middle class and it did not matter. In Borivili (W), the Shanti Ashram bus depot is neat, clean and green; no crowds as the public prefer autos, 'time nahin hai'. Have taken the top decker of BEST buses plying Marine Drive watching the sea serenade citizens of the sky; first noted BEST buses on Marine Drive in Hindi films; Amol Palekar movies have BEST and ST buses. Am not aware of a docu on BEST buses its amours, paramours, rumours. Perhaps, some retired BEST bus driver or conductor will be the best choice. A college couple strode in; a BEST bus paused at Link Road bus stop; me climbed in, dropped out at the Station, last stop, for Rs.10; the conductor was gracious with the change. Walked to the train, realised had no office and no copy to type; walked home ...